by Lori King
“Who was that?” he asked Damon, as he turned around and came in the house.
“Oh, that was KJ, didn’t she introduce herself?” Damon asked in confusion.
“No, but she seemed to be in a hurry,” Thomas said, trying to gather his thoughts, and control his libido.
“Huh, well, she does seem to be an unusual girl. You’ll get to know her well on the trip, I’m sure. Hopefully she’s not this rude all of the time,” Damon said with a chuckle as he headed up the stairs, leaving Thomas alone again in the living room.
It took him a moment to process that this was the infamous sister of Rafe and Ryley, and the driving force behind this road trip to Wyoming. Come to think of it, there was a slight resemblance there, but thankfully she was the beautiful version of the two Nordic looking giants. So why did she run away from him like he was a Roman invader coming to pillage and plunder? A red haze covered his vision at the mental image of pillaging and plundering the sweet little blonde armful. That wasn’t going to happen, but it was a nice fantasy.
Maybe she was just shy, or uncomfortable around strangers. He knew his eyes weren’t betraying him, he had seen desire in her eyes, right before the panic set in and she took off.
“Thomas?” a voice behind him drew him from his musings, and he turned to face Caroline. She was his little sister’s best friend, and had become an important part of his family. He would protect her just like he would Tina, and he was glad to see her happily married to the twins. The current frown on her face told him that he wasn’t hiding his thoughts very well. “Are you okay, Tommy? You look a little flushed.”
He tried to give her a smile of reassurance, but he knew it probably looked more like a grimace. “I’m great, but I appreciate your concern. I suppose I’m just a little restless. Nervous energy and all that. Do you know how much longer it will be before we get on the road?”
Caroline gave him a quick hug before she plopped down on the overstuffed sofa and rubbed her burgeoning belly. Pregnant with twins, her belly was rounding out quickly, and she glowed with happiness. “Damon said everything should be ready in the next half an hour. By the way, thank you for doing this. We really appreciate it.”
“No problem, I was getting restless at the wound care clinic, and considering leaving anyway. You guys just gave me a good reason. Can I ask you a couple of questions?” He moved to sit in a chair across from her.
“Sure, what’s up?”
“How does the pack hierarchy work? I mean, are you the queen? Are Devin and Damon supposed to be joint kings? I want to understand, so that I don’t put my foot in my mouth at some point.”
“Kind of. See in a wolf pack there is always an Alpha male, and an Alpha female. In our particular case Devin is the Alpha, and I’m the Alpha Bitch—although I hate that particular title, so Her Majesty works just as well,” she said with a wink and a laugh. “Damon is technically a Beta wolf, but because they are twins, everyone calls them the Alphas of the pack. He is Devin’s second, his vice president so to speak. After the Alphas are the Betas, they are the strongest men in the pack. They tend to handle security, and any pack business that comes along. Kind of like our own Security Council, it’s actually a coveted position. Then the next level are the Omegas, they are usually made up of males, and occasionally females, like Tina and Tawny, who have proven their strength. It’s not that they are less worthy than the Betas, but they are mostly the fastest, sneakiest, and the brainiest. They are the go-to people for spying if we’re in a situation to need it, or for taking care of the pack while the Betas are occupied. In Tawny’s case she is one hell of a computer hacker, so she made Omega because the pack needs her skills occasionally. The last level, and the one that most wolves fall into, are the Deltas. Does that help?”
“Yes, actually it does. Where does Delaky fit into that?”
She looked surprised. “Delaky? Oh, well, she’s a special case altogether. The way I understand it, everyone alive today remembers her being here and looking the exact same as she does today. She never ages, she never changes. She just is.”
“So she is immortal?” he asked, and he cringed because he could hear the doubt in his own voice.
“You might say that, but I honestly don’t know. Delaky speaks in riddles, I’m sure you caught on if you’ve met her, so we can’t always grasp the message she’s trying to relay. She seems to see into the future and the past easily, but she doesn’t just walk up to random people spouting off prophecies. Usually she will wait until she’s asked. She has some skill in healing, but she seems happy to be relieved of that duty with you coming on board.”
“I’m glad to hear that, and yes, I did notice the puzzle speak when I met her. Cash took me to her cabin this morning when we went on a quick run. She seems to believe that I will be meeting my own mate shortly,” Thomas said running his hand through his hair.
“What?” Her gasp startled him, and he stared across the room into her shocked face. “Are you telling me that she thinks you have a mate within the pack?”
“No, she never said that specifically, she just asked me if I had bonded with my mate yet, and when I questioned her, she said that I hadn’t established a bond yet, and it was not for her to tell me what Fate has written. Crazy, huh?”
Caroline practically leapt from the couch and across the room. Grabbing his hands in hers, she pulled him up from his seat into a hug. “That’s fantastic, Thomas! You’re going to be part of the family for real now! I wonder who it is? I would have figured you had met everyone in the pack already and felt the mating lust, but if Delaky says she’s here, then she must be!”
Thomas rested both hands on the petite woman’s shoulders trying to hold her still and calm her enthusiasm. “Whoa, Caro, slow down. I’m not sure I believe anything she said, but I can promise you that I already consider myself part of the pack family.”
“Oh, but if you have a werewolf mate, then she would turn you after you bonded, and believe me, the mating lust is unavoidable. It hit me square in the gut.” She paused and glanced down at her rounded belly, giggling. “Obviously.”
“We’ll see, Caro. For now, I have a mission to accomplish before I can worry about my future,” he said with a grin. Caroline was so full of sparkle now that she had met the Gray twins. There was a time when he worried that she would cut herself off from the world instead of facing it head on, but she seemed to have overcome her grief for her parents. They were killed in the World Trade Center, and it wasn’t long after that, that Tina and Caroline met in nursing school. When Tina first introduced him to Caroline, she was a sad, withdrawn woman who held herself with very little confidence. Now she sparkled from the inside out.
“Yes, you do! I’m just praying that you guys can get there in time. The way KJ talked about her mom’s injury…It sounds like she might already be septic. Silver can be lethal for werewolves, and Devin is afraid that the bullet in her arm is silver so that she’s slowly being poisoned to death,” Caroline said. Her face grew slightly pale, and she rubbed at her belly nervously.
“I’ll do everything I can to help her, Caro. I’m no expert in werewolves, but I’ll do my best.”
“I know that, Tommy. I hate that the pack has to be split like this, but with the Diego wolves coming our way shortly, we just have to divide and conquer.” She stepped away from him, and pressed the palm of her hand to her forehead. “Hmm. The babies need to eat again, they always get restless when they are hungry.”
“Didn’t you just eat? You can feel them already? Aren’t you only a couple of months along?” he asked.
“Almost four months, but I’ve been feeling them for several weeks. According to the twins’ mom, Sienna, the gestation period for werewolves is much shorter than humans. Only about six months. It makes it more difficult for us to blend into human careers, but with me quitting my job to spend more time here at the den it’s not a problem for me,” Caroline said, leading the way into the kitchen.
“Six months, holy shit! You’re almo
st to the end already!” Thomas said stumbling a little as he followed her. “Caro, I’m not sure I’m comfortable delivering your babies. With the birth of multiples there can be all kinds of complications, and with you being a werewolf there are added hurdles that I haven’t even learned about yet.”
Pulling a tray full of sliced ham out of the refrigerator, she laughed. “It’s okay, Tommy, I understand. Delaky will deliver the twins for me because she has delivered every baby brought into the pack for more decades than we can even comprehend. I would prefer she continue to deliver babies, if you don’t mind.”
Thomas gave an exaggerated sigh of relief. “Thank God! O.B. has never been my preferred field. I’ll stick with doctoring up the injured and sick, and I am happy to let her handle the female issues.”
She laughed with him as she snacked on the ham. The sound of the front door banging open was followed by the enticing scent of the mysterious KJ from earlier. Thomas felt his body respond immediately, and he turned toward the living room.
“Excuse me for a minute, Caro,” he said and he followed the sweet smell without waiting for Caroline’s response.
She was standing next to the stairs, with just a pair of blue jeans snuggly covering her lush ass. Petite perfection, her body was curved in all the right places, and he clenched his fists at the urge to hold it against his own. The skin of her naked back looked softer than a rose petal, and he felt a twinge of regret as she tugged a shirt over her head, and turned around.
Her eyes were closed, and her face grew very pale, turning a scary gray color. Hurrying across the room, he gripped her shoulders, worry snaking through his belly. “Are you all right, little one?”
He inhaled sharply as her eyes popped open, staring up into his face with white hot lust in them. Her lips were parted slightly, and her tongue darted out to wet them, making him rock hard in a second. Pulling his hands away from her to keep from pushing her up against the wall and ravishing her, he cleared his throat, and pushed his hands into his pockets. “Are you all right? You looked like you were going to pass out.”
Her soft growl had him stepping backward, but she seemed to sway with his movement, and he caught her up against him, refusing to let her fall. Fear overrode his desire as he imagined all sorts of health problems that would cause her to faint. “It’s okay KJ, I’ve got you. Come on. Let’s get you laid down for a minute. When did you eat last? Are you ill?”
She let him lead her to the couch, where he sat her down, and then crouched in front of her. He had to adjust his position to keep from cutting the circulation off to his cock, as his body reacted to her closeness. He ran his hand down her arm to take her pulse, jumping a little when she jerked it from his grip violently and pushed him away from her.
“Stop! Stop it! I’m fine!” she snarled at him, and he sat back on his heels in shock.
“You nearly fainted. I don’t call that fine,” he responded as he looked her over. Her sunshine-colored hair was long, and fell in wild curls down her back. Her blue eyes were the color of the sky, but if he wasn’t mistaken there was a tiny ring of green surrounding her dilated pupils.
“I just got a little lightheaded, that’s all. I’m fine. How did you know my name?” she asked with a frown.
“I’ve met everyone else in the pack. You and I are the only strangers around here right now, so the process of elimination made it pretty simple. I’m Thomas Jameson,” he said, holding his hand out to her in introduction. She hesitated, staring down at his extended hand like it was a snake about to bite. He watched in fascination as she swallowed hard, and took a deep breath before gripping his hand. Electricity shot through his arm into his brain, and he gasped at the same time as she growled.
“Oh shit,” she whispered while he just sat there staring at their joined hands in shock.
“Hey guys! I see you’ve finally met each other. Are you two about ready to leave? Noah and Luke have almost all of the bags loaded.” Owen stepped into the room, looking anxious, but the moment his eyes landed on them, Thomas could see his nostrils flare, and his gaze harden. Sunlight flashed off of the diamond earring in his earlobe, as he jerked his head to run his gaze over KJ before glaring at Thomas. “KJ, are you all right?”
She nodded silently, and Thomas glanced from her to Owen waiting for an explanation. It was obvious that Owen sensed the tension between them, but there was something else there. Thomas forced himself to release her hand and stand up.
“I still have my bag in here,” KJ said, seeming to gain control over her reaction quicker than he could. “I’ll run it out to the van.”
“Just give it to me, KJ, I’ll take it out there,” Owen said, as KJ moved to pick up the duffel bag by the stairs. Thomas bit the inside of his cheek to hold back a groan as her nipples poked through the thin fabric of her T-shirt. His mouth watered, and his brain was slightly fuzzy. It was almost like he was a sixteen-year-old virgin again.
Owen stepped over and relieved her of the bag against her protest, and then he turned to Thomas and cocked his head, staring hard at him. “Doc, why don’t you come on out to the van with me?”
Thomas hesitated. He wanted to question KJ about what had just transpired, and the electrical response between their bodies, but the pale color of her cheeks, and the fear in her blue eyes stopped his voice in his throat. She was scared of him, or of the situation. There was definite fear in the air. With another deep breath, he nodded at Owen, and said softly, “Nice to meet you, KJ, maybe we can talk on the trip.”
She nodded, but didn’t speak, and Owen’s narrowed gaze ran over the two of them again, before he gestured for Thomas to lead the way outside. Well that was a memorable introduction. What am I supposed to take from all of that, he thought as he moved out into the bright sunshine. Oddly, his body seemed to resist leaving KJ behind in the house, and his stomach rolled a little bit. Forcing his lips to return the smiles of the waiting men outside, he headed toward the two large vans packed with their gear, Owen at his side. He would get his answers at a more opportune time, no doubt about it.
Chapter 3
KJ rested her forehead against the glass window as she stared out at the passing scenery. To her right, Cash dozed with his long legs stretched out as far as the cramped van would allow. In the front seat, Ryley and Noah chatted about various subjects ranging from fishing to firefighting. The other four people on the trip, Rafe, Owen, Luke, and Thomas were in the van behind them as they coasted down I-70 through Kansas.
They were heading back to Wyoming, where she had left behind her parents, friends, and everything she had ever known to make the journey to the Gray Pack den. It took her three weeks in wolf form to travel the distance, and there had been Kaplan Pack trackers on her heels the whole way. She kept having to double back to lose them when they were getting too close to her. It was a life or death mission, and the relief that she felt when she woke up to find herself in Devin Gray’s cabin was only temporary. There was still a long road in front of her to get back to her parents and see them safely transported back to Kansas City.
The Kaplan wolves hadn’t gotten close enough to attack her until she finally reached Gray Pack territory, but the wolf that did caught her completely unaware. The only thing that she remembered about the attack was seeing a dusty, brown wolf flying at her through the bushes, and screaming out in pain as his canines sunk into the flesh of her leg. She lost consciousness from that point on, but the story she got from Caroline was that her brothers and their adopted father were the ones to find her in the woods and get her safely transported to the Alpha’s cabin.
It was surreal now, seeing Rafe and Ryley, because they both looked so much like her father. There was a clear resemblance to herself and her mother too, so she couldn’t deny that there was shared blood between them all. For the last twenty-four years she had listened to her parents talk about returning to reclaim their sons. She had heard them go on and on about how great the Gray Pack was compared to everyone else. Never had she disagreed, argu
ed, or even voiced her opinion until they asked her to go by herself to find her brothers and get help.
Logically, she knew that her mother was dying of her injury. There had been clear evidence of her decline before KJ left three weeks ago, but her heart hoped for a miracle. She could only pray that they could make it back in time with Thomas to save her life. Thomas. The sexy human doctor, who made her wolf howl. Her mate. What the hell was fate thinking pairing her with a human? It felt like some sort of sick joke. She was standing on the edge of her future, ready to bolt and embrace a whole new world, only to be stopped by something so restricting as a mate. She let out a huff of irritation that drew Cash’s attention from his half-asleep state.
“What’s up, sweetheart? You look like you lost your best friend,” he said quietly, so as not to interrupt the other two in the front seat.
“No, I’m just thinking. I’m worried about my mom. She wasn’t doing very well when I left, and that was three weeks ago.”
Cash nodded. “Yeah, I can see why that would upset you, but we have Doc with us, and if anyone can help it’s him. He saved my life after all. Tell me about your pack mates. You said that everyone was outcasts or rogues? How did they end up all lumped together?”
KJ shifted so that she could face Cash. “I was wondering when someone would start asking for details other than how many of us there were. When I was little it was just Mom, Dad, and me, but they ran into Rudy while I was still a baby. He was a rogue that had been on his own for years, but as he aged, he was having more trouble staying off the grid. He’s ancient, or at least he looks it to me. I asked him once how old he was, and he just laughed and told me, ‘Old enough.’”
Cash chuckled. “Well that’s a loaded gun.”
“Yeah, but that’s Rudy. Anyways, he helped teach Mom and Dad more about how to hide their scent, and how to avoid detection, so that the Omegas from the Kaplan Pack couldn’t keep following them. They were always on their guard, one step ahead of a pack of bloodthirsty wolves with orders to bring only Tasha Whetstone back to Alaska alive.”
